St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-28
LOOKS PRETTY SERIOUS.
The Coroner Investigates the Cir
cumssanceS of JOhnSOn,s Death.

The inquest over the remains of NelS John
SOD, who died from a wound inflicted in the
right temple with a knife in the hands of Eli
Nelson, was resumed yesterday morning.
Andrew Hagen, who boards at 1918 Third
street north, where the affray occurred, testi-
fed to hearing Nelson and Johnson quarrel
ing in their room. Eidam, the proprietor of
the place, came up and said go outside if
you want to fight" and all three went down
stairs. Witness afterwards heard loud talk
on the outside of the house. Afterwards
Johnson came to his room with his head
Dandaged. Coroner Hill here asked if wit
ness knew Johnson had been stabbed at the
time, and witness replied that he did
not, his seeing blood on the floor the follow
ing morning being the first indication to him
that there had been foul play.
DIR. F. E. Towers, who assisted at the post
norton examination, described the nature
of the wound which caused death, and por
ton of JohnsonS skull with the broken knife
blade sticking in it was submitted in evidence.
DR.. Towers said the wound was fatal one,
and that life could not have been saved if
surgical attendance had been summoned at
once. His theory was substantiated by the
evidence of Drs. A. C.. Fairbarn and W. G.
Hanscome.
Henry Nelson, a brother of Eli Nelson, who
stabbed Johnson, testified that he attended
the party at Eidam's boarding house on the
fatal night. He went away about midnight to
another dance but returned after the fight had
occurred. Ed Lee, who was present told him
his brother had stabbed Johnson in the head.
Witness said to his brother, ELI, did you do
this?" aud Eli answered. Il don't know, but
they say / did, Johnson spoke up then,
saying, Yes, you did it, but 1 forgive you.
Dou't tell any one about it." The next day
witness saw his brother and johnson in
friendly conversation. The same day Sun
day. he was told by Ed Lee not to say any
thing about the fight. The same day he also
saw his brother hammering knife to pieces
on beer key. Eli said he was destroying the
knife because it was the one they said he
stabbed Johnson with.
Ole Eidam, the proprietor of the boarding
house, testified that Johnson had been in this
country for abont eighteen years, coming
from Norway, and had boarded with him
about three weeks Beaver Olson. neighbor.
said he saw Johnson in bed Monday, but did
not know he had been stabbed at
that time. This completed the testimony,
and Judge Hollins, Nelson's attorney, said
he did not care to submit any evidence on
the part of the defense. The jury returned
the following verdict: 9fi
We find that said Nels Johnson came to his
| on the morning April %. from the effect of a
wound inflicted by a knife in the hands of
| Eli Nelson, on the night of April 16.
The remains of the deceased were inferred
| shortly after the inquest. Nelson was al
| lowed to view the body, and as he looked
| uOW dt tu6 IdCc VI Ills uedQ 1TleuQ
considerable emotion. His story of the
| homicide does not differ as to particulars,
although he claims that his striking Johnson
with kpife was purely accidental. He
says:
1--WE were good friends, but were both
| drunk that night and quarreled. / wanted to
go to another dance and he said I shouldn't.
We were going down stairs together and /
had in my hand knife which had found
sticking in the head Of a beer key. We both
fell at the bottom of the stairs. johnson land
ing on top of me, / think. The knife must
have struck him then, but have no recollec-
ton of it,
Nelson will probably be arrsigned to-day,
and will be charged with murder
AGAINST COERCION.
T0.Nfght's Mass NIeeting-.The Vice
Presidents and mittees.
The mass meeting of citizens-not Irish
Americans, but simply of American citizens
at Harmonic hall this evening to protest
against the pending Irish coercion bill, prom
ises to bring together notable company of
prominent men, and the resolutions TO be
adopted will carry with them as great weight
as is possible to be brought to bear in this
community. The meeting will be called to
order sharply at o'clock and will be pre-